


Walls

by myownway



Series: Flufftober 2020 [5]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, M/M, Mentions of past abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26950957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myownway/pseuds/myownway
Summary: Alec never had a reason for celebrations, but now maybe he does#5 Flufftober - Celebration
Relationships: Alec Lightwood/Original Male Character(s), Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Flufftober 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956124
Comments: 1
Kudos: 36





	Walls

Celebration 

Up until now, Alec never really thought he had much to celebrate. Till he was eighteen he spent his life living as his parents puppet, doing what they wanted, going to the parties they wanted him to go to only to make connections that they needed. When he moved out he thought that would be his freedom, that his life would become his and he could finally find himself. And he thought he had. He had fallen in love. Will was smart, handsome and at first charming. They had moved in together quickly, Alec thought that had been part of the problem. Wills charm quickly turned cold and he had become possessive, hurtful. He had kept Alec from seeing Jace and Isabelle and had left him a shadow of the man he was to become. 

It wasn’t until the second time Will put him in the emergency room that Alec had left him. He had been scared to tell Jace what was going on. Will had made it seem like it was Alec who was putting the space between them, but as soon as Alec had called him Jace had answered. 

That was almost a year ago and though he was still dealing with the damage Will had caused things seemed to be slowly getting better. 

He had moved in with Jace. He wasn’t ready to be on his own yet and they had a lot to catch up on. Alec truly felt guilty for missing out on almost a year of his brothers life and Jace felt the same. How could he have not seen what Will has been doing? Alec constantly told him that it wasn’t his fault, but they both knew guilt would still be there for both of them. They just had to move through it. 

“It’s your twenty first birthday, Alec. Please let’s at least have a fancier dinner?” Jace asked. 

The two brothers were sitting on the sofa, legs stretched out on the cosy in front of them a beer in Jaces hand and a mug of coffee in Alec’s. “A fancier dinner? So Indian instead of pizza?”

“Yes… and maybe with a few more people.” Jace said lightly. 

Alec had never really been the social butterfly that Isabelle was. And whatever social confidence he did have had been crushed by Will. “Like Isabelle and Clary?” Alec asked. 

“And maybe Simon?” Jace suggested. 

“But he’s so…” 

“I know but him and Isabelle are getting serious so we should both try to make an effort with him.” Jace sighed, Alec just pulled a face and nodded his head slowly. They were his friends, he could do this. 

“Okay, but no one else.” Alec whispered. 

“No one else.” Jace promised and he gave his brothers knee a squeeze. 

It was Isabelle who had invited him, so Alec couldn’t be too mad at her. Magnus was someone who was slowly becoming part of their group and Alec liked him. That was part of the problem. Alec couldn’t like anyone again. He didn’t want a repeat of what happened with Will. He never wanted to feel that defenceless again. 

“We can cancel.” Jace said softly. He had just gotten off the phone with their sister, in about an hour their small apartment would be full of people and Alec really wanted to cancel everything but he couldn’t. 

“It’s just one extra person.” Alec sighed shakily. 

“If it gets too much say pineapples and I’ll fake an illness and have everyone leave.” Jace declares and Alec smiles at him, it sounds ridiculous but he knows Jace would do it. 

“Thank you.” Alec said softly. “But it will be okay.” 

Jace just nodded and left his brother to finish getting ready. He knew how Alec felt about Magnus, he saw how his face lit up whenever the eccentric man walked into the room. But he knew Alec would never admit to that. But maybe Magnus would be good for him, so he couldn’t be too hard on Isabelle for inviting him. 

Magnus was the last to arrive. The others came in fast and Alec was greeted with presents and awkward hugs and he was glad that Magnus wasn’t there to see it. Everyone was in the living room when the door went and Alec who was getting a drink from the kitchen, or as they all knew what he was doing really; hiding away, went to answer it. 

“Hey,” Magnus smiled brightly. 

“Hi.” Alec said slowly, Magnus was so beautiful, Alec always found it hard to stop staring at him. 

“Happy birthday,” Magnus smiled and Alec wonders if he’s always so happy, he’s never seen him in a bad mood and Alec constantly feels like he’s always in one. 

“Thank you.” Alec says lightly, he raises an eyebrow as Magnus holds a silver gift bag up. “You didn’t have to…” 

“I hear it’s tradition to bring presents when it’s ones birthday.” Magnus chuckles and Alec blushes and he takes the bag, he’s surprised that it’s heavy and he wants to open it now, he wants to see what Magnus got for him but he waits. 

“Thank you.” Alec whispers. 

“You’re welcome.” Magnus says softly and tilts his head as he watches him fondly. 

“Everyone else is in the other room,” Alec says and makes a little gesture behind him, but all he’s focussed on is the bag in his hand. 

“And what room are you in?” Magnus asks. 

“I was grabbing a drink,” Alec says sheepishly. 

“Can I join you instead?” Magnus smiled and it takes Alec a little minute to realise that Magnus is flirting with him, but isn’t he always? Normally Alec wouldn’t respond, they’ve never actually been alone together, this would be the time he would let his brother cut in, or his sister distract the conversation. 

“Yeah,” Alec says and he doesn’t want to sound lame, and maybe he doesn’t because Magnus smiles his oh so charming smile and follows him into the kitchen. 

Later that night, after dinner and when everyone has gone home and Jace is snoring loudly in his bed, Alec finally opens the silver bag from Magnus. He pulls out the book that’s wrapped in matching tissue paper and smiles. It’s nothing fancy, it’s the start of a crime series he had mentioned wanting to start a while ago. His heart flutters realising that Magnus had remembered such a tiny detail, that Magnus had been listening to what he had been saying. He opened the book and smiled when he saw a scribbled message on the inside page. 

“Never be scared to start something new,” Alec read in a whisper and ran his finger over the phone number beneath it. He closed the book with a smile and closed his eyes, the book against his chest. 

It had been a long time since he thought celebrating anything would be possible, but maybe his birthday celebrations hadn’t been too bad, and maybe thanks to Jace and Isabelle, he’d finally be able to start his something new.


End file.
